Air Force preparing to put nuclear-armed bombers back on 24-hour ready-to-fly alert: report

The Washington Times ^ | October 22, 2017 | Jennifer Harper

[be-baw]

The U.S. Air Force is preparing to put nuclear-armed bombers back on 24-hour ready alert, a status not seen since the Cold War ended in 1991 according to a report released Sunday by Defense One.

“If the order comes, the B-52s will return to a ready-to-fly posture not seen since the Cold War,” reported Marcus Weisgerber, global business editor for the industry publication, noting that “long-dormant” runway areas on certain bases could once again be a home to fully loaded B-52s, ready to fly at a moment’s notice.

“This is yet one more step in ensuring that we’re prepared,” Gen. David Goldfein, Air Force chief of staff, said in an interview during his six-day tour of Barksdale and other Air Force bases that support the nuclear mission. “I look at it more as not planning for any specific event, but more for the reality of the global situation we find ourselves in and how we ensure we’re prepared going forward.”

The officer and other senior defense officials stressed that the alert order had not been given, but that “preparations were under way” just in case. The decision itself would be made by Gen. John Hyten, commander of Strategic Command, or Gen. Lori Robinson, the head of Northern Command. STRATCOM is in charge of the military’s nuclear forces and NORTHCOM is tasked with defending North America.

[SecondAmendment]

> Bring it on back. I always liked the idea.

I think there were too many "broken arrow" incidents, which are virtually impossible with missiles and subs.

[rbg81]

Liberal heads will explode.

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

During the Cold War when home video came out, no self respecting B-52 aircrew didn’t have a copy of “Dr. Strangelove.”

[Fiddlstix]

[pfflier]

The USAF just announced last month that the B-52 was being considered to be withdrawn from the nuclear mission leaving only only the B-2s as nuclear capable.

http://www.military.com/daily-news/2017/09/21/without-new-weapon-b52-bomber-mission-ends-general-warns.html

Without a major improvement in standoff weapons, the BUFF is not a survivable platform for deep penetration.

[pfflier]

Failsafe is fiction.

[pfflier]

FYI 400 Minuteman IIIs are still very capably deployed.

The primary argument for a manned bomber in the Triad is they can be recalled.

Once an ICBM or SLBM goes, there is no turning back, no recall and no "self destruct". No sh!t.

[octex]

I was on a carrier in ‘61-62. We had A-3 Sky Warrior aircraft that carried nukes on every flight. Always arrived on the flight deck with about 4 armed Marine guards, who remained with the nukes until installed in the aircraft.

Our modern carriers have nuke carrying aircraft, as well, and our subs have nukes. I believe all of the silos in the US were shut down.

Nothing wrong with letting “Liddle” Kim know what else we might do.

[SaveFerris]

Oh yes

[CMSMC]

To the best of my knowledge, Minot and FE Warren still have active silos.

[Seruzawa]

Waste of money. The Boomers are more than enough. Modern SAMs are going to make it hell for the BUFFs.

[Despot of the Delta]

[grey_whiskers]

Waste of money. The Boomers are more than enough. Modern SAMs are going to make it hell for the BUFFs.

So you think we'll fly the BUFFs in first, alone and unescorted, eh?

[familyop]

"With the silos (assuming they still exist) and the boomers we have why is this necessary?"

Because "this" can be much quicker.

[familyop]

"Without a major improvement in standoff weapons, the BUFF is not a survivable platform for deep penetration."

Sure, it is. It doesn't go by itself. It has all of the security that it needs.

[familyop]

"Modern SAMs are going to make it hell for the BUFFs."

There won't be any SAMs.

[2ndDivisionVet]

That might explain the 1,000 recalled pilots.

[SunkenCiv]

"When the last B-52 is flown off to mothball, the flight crew will return to base in a B-52." Thanks be-baw.

[Seruzawa]

The Buffs got badly hammered even with 70 SAM tech over Vietnam. It’s going to be worse today.

[pfflier]

I sure would like to know how that is going to happen for a long range strategic mission.

What we learned in Linebacker II is that a stand alone BUF was pretty vulnerable to modern air defense systems. Cluster BUFs work better but that is not how the world works in a major conflict.